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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rash — a series
  3. suit — to fit
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. tear — from crying
  18. suit — clothes
  19. kick — in football
  20. tear — to rip
  21. branch — a division
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com